Early Day Motions Another Tool Against Deportations
If setting up an Anti-Deportation Campaign, check the <http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/business-papers/commons/early-day-motions/edms-by-number/>EDM database to see if there are any EDMs relating to the destination country. Ask your MP to table an EDM for anyone you are supporting.
And very good ways of raising issues in parliament, which may not get debated in normal sittings of parliament.
They should also be brought to the attention of your Trade Union Branch, faith/community group. They can be signed by all MPS, make sure yours does, do not take no for an answer!
You can also ask your constituency MP to table a motion that you/your trade union branch, faith/community group deem important.
You can contact your MP for free, through: WriteToThem.Com
http://www.writetothem.com/
Recent EDMS
Rohingya Muslim Persecution In Myanmar
Overseas Domestic Worker Visa
Evictions In Benefit Cap Areas
Kabila Regime & Detention of Eugène Diomi Ndongala & Ors
South African Mineworkers
Bangladesh Garment Factory Disaster
Israeli Attacks On Burin
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Early Day Motion 131: Rohingya Muslim Persecution In Myanmar
That this House notes that the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar is not only continuing but sectarian violence is getting worse; further notes that a boat carrying well over 100 Rohingya Muslims fleeing a cyclone capsized on 14 May with many drowned; further notes that the Myanmar President Thein Sein has been invited to Washington to meet President Obama as part of the normalisation of relations with western countries; deplores the continued persecution of the Rohingya Muslims; and calls on the Government to take all necessary measures to get the Myanmar government to act to protect the Rohingya Muslims from sectarian persecution and violence.
Sponsors: Galloway, George / Durkan, Mark / <>
House of Commons: 20.05.2013
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Early Day Motion 47: Evictions In Benefit Cap Areas
That this House is deeply concerned that claimants in areas participating in the trial of the Government's benefit cap are being sent eviction letters by landlords because they may not be able to pay the rent; notes that one of Britain's biggest social landlords, Genesis, has issued this warning to tenants in Haringey; believes that this provides the first evidence that these welfare changes will lead to increased homelessness; further notes that Enfield Council is considering moving 330 people to places like Birmingham and Bradford; and calls on the Government, even now, to scrap this plan which is bound to lead to misery and homelessness for some of the country's poorest families.
Sponsors: Galloway, George / Anderson, David / Corbyn, Jeremy / Cunningham, Jim / Dobbin, Jim / McDonnell, John
House of Commons: 08.05.2013
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Early Day Motion 82: Overseas Domestic Worker Visa
That this House notes that on 6 April 2012 the Government made several changes to the overseas domestic worker visa which removed the rights of migrant domestic workers to change employer; further notes that these workers are now given visas that are valid for a maximum period of six months and only for employment with a named employer; recognises that migrant domestic workers are especially vulnerable to exploitation and that the new visas give them even less protection from mistreatment; calls on the Government to restore the previous rights of migrant domestic workers, including the right to change employer, the right to renew the domestic worker visa while still in the UK and the right to family reunion; and urges the Government to extend these rights also to domestic workers in diplomatic households.
Sponsors: Clark, Katy / Ellman, Louise / Lammy, David / McDonnell, John / Russell, Bob / Ward, David
House of Commons: 14.05.2013
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EDM 85: Kabila Regime & Detention of Eugène Diomi Ndongala & Ors
That this House expresses its gravest concern at the continued detention of the Congolese MP and Opposition leader, Eugène Diomi Ndongala, his aide, Verdict Mituntwa and Etienne Tshisekedi's deputy chief of staff Jean-Claude Ndala on charges which Save the Congo considers as a political ploy to suffocate and intimidate the opposition into submission; notes with concern that this is not the first time that Colonel Kanyama, notoriously known as Esprit de Mort (the one who kills) and his henchmen have kidnapped opposition activists; commends the courage of Congolese rights agency such as Congolese League for Access to Justice and the Association of Young Advocates for an Integral Leadership for raising awareness of this issue despite harassment and abuses by state security forces; and calls on the Government to do all it can to exert its influence on the Kabila regime to secure the immediate release of Eugène Diomi Ndongala, Verdict Mituntwa and Jean-Claude Ndala.
Sponsors: Amess, David/ Durkan, Mark - <> House of Commons: 14.05.2013
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Early Day Motion 48: Israeli Attacks On Burin
That this House condemns the repeated attacks by Israeli forces on the Bilal Al Najjar cultural and community centre in the village of Burin, outside Nablus on the occupied West Bank; notes that the centre has come under extreme levels of intimidation since its inception, with volunteers continually arrested and property destroyed; protests about the most serious instance of vandalism by Israeli Defence Force soldiers on 11 April 2013 when every piece of equipment, including computers, desks and artworks, was destroyed; and demands that the Government bring what pressure it can on the Israeli government both to restrain its soldiers and to immediately recompense the villagers for their loss.
Sponsors: Galloway, George/ Corbyn, Jeremy / Durkan, Mark / Hopkins, Kelvin / McDonnell, John / Morris, Grahame M
<> House of Commons: 08.05.2013
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Early Day Motion 83: South African Mineworkers
That this House notes with deep concern that employees of Anglo American, the largest gold miner in South Africa throughout the twentieth century, undertook the dustiest jobs without the protection of a respirator as profits were prioritised over employee safety as evidenced by research carried out by Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA); further notes that a series of published studies over the last decade reveals that the prevalence of silicosis, a lung disease caused by prolonged or intensive exposure to silica dust in gold mines, is at around 25 per cent in long-term miners, including miners at Anglo American mines as reported by ACTSA; recognises that the condition of silicosis decreased lung capacity, making it difficult to breath, and massively increases the risk of tuberculosis, and that the combination of silicosis and tuberculosis can be fatal; and supports calls on Anglo American to live up to its Corporate Social Responsibility promises and take urgent steps to provide decent compensation and improve medical services for the thousands of miners formerly employed on Anglo's South African gold mines who have experienced silicosis.
Sponsors: Clark, Katy / Campbell, Ronnie / Francis, Hywel / Osborne, Sandra / Russell, Bob / Sheridan, Jim
House of Commons: 14.05.2013
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Early Day Motion 40: Bangladesh Garment Factory Disaster
That this House sends its condolences to the families of the more than [1,127] people killed and to the many more injured in the collapse of the garment factory near Dhaka, Bangladesh; notes that this factory supplies clothes to some of the big name companies on Britain's high streets; further notes that the factory managers and owners are alleged to have ignored signs of cracking in the building reported days before the collapse in a building that had had five more storeys added than it should have; further notes that factories in developing countries like Bangladesh are under enormous pressure to minimise costs from the western multinational companies buying from them; believes that western multinationals buying from developing countries have a responsibility to ensure that the factories producing these goods provide a safe environment for their workers to work in and for workers' rights to be fully recognised and respected; further believes that the western multinationals that bought clothes from this factory should provide compensation to the bereaved families and the injured survivors; calls on the Government to work with the Bangladeshi government to secure safe working conditions for Bangladeshi workers supplying British markets; and further calls on the Government to enact laws that will provide for sanctions if western multinationals selling goods in this country fail to fulfil their responsibilities to ensure safe and decent working conditions for those working in their supply chain.
Sponsors: Galloway, George/ Anderson, David / Corbyn, Jeremy / Dobbin, Jim / Durkan, Mark / McDonnell, John
House of Commons: 08.05.2013 |
Asylum Research Consultancy (ARC) COI Update Volume 57
This document provides an update of Country Guidance case law and UKBA publications and developments in refugee producing countries between 07/05/2013 and 20/05/2013 - Volume 57 <> here . . .
Garden Court Chambers - Immigration Law Bulletin - Issue 325
Release Abdul Ghafar Rajabali and Halt his Deportation
Online Petition, you can add your name <> here . . . .
Abdul is 23 years old, lives in Leicester and is from Afghanistan, where he suffered terrible persecution. His father was Russian and when Abdul was a baby, his parents and all his family were murdered. Abdul was rescued from a deserted building by a neighbour who brought him up. However, when he was a teenager, the Taliban invaded his house and demanded he join them or he would be shot. The neighbour hid Abdul and later sold her house in order to raise the money to get him out of Afghanistan and avoid further persecution.
When he came to England six years ago, Abdul was unable to pay for a solicitor for his asylum claim. He was also given an interpreter who did not understand his dialect of Dari. As a result, his asylum claim was handled badly and, indeed, he was unable to even attend the hearing.
When his initial claim to stay here was refused, Abdul took to the streets, living on free food and sleeping rough for over five years. He suffered terrible depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. He lived like this to avoid being sent back to Afghanistan where he feared further persecution.
Abdul was found destitute by the Red Cross. He has a medical condition that would be untreatable in Afghanistan and suffers from chronic post-traumatic stress syndrome to this day. Abdul was granted Section 4 accommodation from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) while his medical case was reviewed.
No longer living on the streets meant that Abdul could attend English classes and he can now read and write in English. In fact, this is the only language he can read and write in as he is illiterate in his original language. He has also become more involved in the local community, helps out at Leicester City of Sanctuary based at Leicester Cathedral (where he was previously interviewed by BBC Radio Leicester) and participates in a local football team.
Abdul's Section 4 accommodation ended during the first week of May 2013 when he was asked to submit a doctor's letter explaining that he should continue to be rehoused due to his medical needs. This letter was replied to by his doctor who supported his need to be in accommodation based on his extreme post-traumatic stress syndrome. Abdul's solicitor is also in the process of submitting a fresh asylum claim based on new evidence why he should stay in this country.
As part of his asylum requirement, Abdul regularly reported to the UKBA reporting station in Loughborough. However, while reporting to UKBA on Friday 10th May 2013, he was detained and held at Loughborough police station. From there, he was to be transferred to Morton Hall Detention Centre in Lincolnshire to await his removal back to Afghanistan.
If Abdul is removed against his will and sent back to Afghanistan, he will not be able to survive there. He has no family in Afghanistan and he knows absolutely no one there who could help him, although there are those who would definitely persecute him. Abdul has already suffered extreme persecution because of his family background.
Meanwhile, Abdul continues to suffer with post-traumatic stress syndrome and will not get the medical treatment he needs in Afghanistan. His current detention will only exacerbate his condition.
Abdul has touched the hearts of everyone who knows him. He has been trying to rebuild his life in a meaningful way, is willing to help others and plays a positive role in our local community.
We ask that he be released immediately from detention pending his asylum claim.
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Early Day Motion 112: Women In Afghanistan
That this House notes with concern that despite steady improvement in the rights of Afghan women since the severe repression of the 1990s, women in Afghanistan are once again in danger; raises concerns about information indicating that women are being marginalised in the peace process, ignored in the security transition and that they continue to be subject to violence in the home and attacks against the defenders of women's rights; commends the efforts by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development to ensure the Afghan government upholds its commitments on women's rights, including through implementation of the Elimination of Violence Against Women law, which is a central commitment under the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework; praises the campaign being led by Amnesty International UK to highlight the plight of women in Afghanistan; and calls on the Government to keep the pressure on the Afghan administration to put women first.
Sponsors: Farron, Tim / <> House of Commons: 16.05.2013
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Early Day Motion 121: Bangladesh Safety Contract
That this House notes that a number of companies have now signed a voluntary safety contract in the aftermath of the Bangladesh garment factory disaster which is now known to have killed at least 1,127 people; further notes that the safety contract is intended to ensure higher fire and safety standards at manufacturing facilities in the region; further notes that a number of US-based large retailers which sell in the UK have yet to sign up to this contract; welcomes this initiative; deplores the companies which have not yet signed; believes that a voluntary contract is no substitute for legal requirements on Western companies being supplied from Bangladesh and other developing countries to ensure proper safety standards and decent working conditions in their supply chain with the threat of severe penalties for breaches of such a law; and calls on the Government, therefore, to legislate to this effect with alacrity.
Galloway, George / <>House of Commons: 16.05.2013
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